It’s been more than a month since the FEI terminated Bromont’s contract to host the 2018 World Equestrian Games due to financial woes, and the FEI told EN that the bureau will not officially re-open the bid process.

“Given the short timeframe, the FEI Bureau has decided not to re-open the bid process for the 2018 Games and has mandated the President Ingmar De Vos to work on an alternative,” an FEI spokesperson said.

The FEI confirmed two venues have expressed interest in hosting the 2018 WEG. Tryon International Equestrian Center, which will host the Nutrena American Eventing Championships next week, announced on Aug. 2 that the North Carolina venue will seek to keep WEG in North America. (Click here for a sneak peek of Capt. Mark Phillips’ new cross country course.)

Samorin has hosted FEI show jumping and endurance since 2014 and added dressage in 2015, with a CDI3* scheduled for July 2017. The venue also held a CSIO3* Nations Cup leg last month, which the U.S. sent a team to as part of the USEF Show Jumping Development Tour. FEI eventing will come to the venue next year, as Samorin has been approved to host a CCI3* on Sept. 7-10, 2017.

Samorin does not face the same commercial conflict. In addition, Samorin has shown the venue can roll with the punches when it comes to quickly staging a major event, accepting the Longines FEI World Endurance Championships just three months ahead of the event after it was removed from Dubai due to horse welfare concerns.

The FEI spokesperson could not confirm whether any venues beyond Tryon and Samorin are being considered at this time. “If other organizers contact the FEI to express an interest in hosting the Games, they will be asked to provide the information through their National Federation. The FEI will be in a position to provide more details shortly.”

What do you think, EN? Would you like to see the 2018 WEG hosted at Tryon or Samorin? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below.